"Glory to (God) Who did take His servantfor a Journey by nightfrom the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque,whose precincts We bless,in order that We might show him some of Our Signs:for He is the One Who Heareth andSeeth (all things)"Al-Isra' : 1

Wearing a long, draped robe and black headscarf, with a rocket-propelled grenade on her shoulder, Fatima, a 27-year-old woman living in Khan Younis, is a member of the special armed women units known as "Al-Mujahidat, " which are part of Hamas' military wing.

Fatima recently finished her bachelor's degree in social Islam from the Islamic University, a Hamas stronghold in Gaza. Her father was killed during an armed clash with Israeli soldiers few years ago and two of her five brothers are active members of Al-Qassam Brigades.

After the Israeli pullout from Gaza in 2004, Hamas decided to form the armed women's groups.

"I heard about an armed women's cell being formed in Khan Younis from my friends at the university. But joining the group was not an easy decision for me, especially as I was a student and at home I used to help my mother in taking care of the family."

Eventually, for the love of Jihad and martyrdom, Fatima joined the armed women's unit operating in southern Gaza a year ago.

"Yes, now I am a member of the Martyrs' Izzaddin al-Qassam Brigades," she told The Media Line.

Fatima believes that Hamas' overwhelming victory in last year's parliamentary elections was evidence of its growing power and a step towards the realization of its vision for an Islamic Palestinian state. After the election, she says, "I made up my mind and joined the group."

The group is made up of 32 women, most of them from families supportive of Hamas.

Fatima says, "Their husbands and relatives are either members of Izzaddin al-Qassam or martyrs killed by the Zionists."

According to their religion, jihad has been imposed on all Muslims, males and females alike, and these women are obeying the call for jihad, which literary means "the call for struggle" against non-Islamic enemies to defend Muslims and their property.

Those women have the honor of competing with men in the jihad for the liberation of the land and the creation of the Islamic state, according to Fatima.

"We simply love jihad and its path and no one imposed that on us" she adds.

The armed women are in contact with their male counterparts in the al-Qassam Brigades, but there are no direct exchanges between the two militant groups. Communication is conducted only through middlemen, mainly high-ranking officers.

Hamas decided to form the armed women's units after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Since then, according to Fatima, the women are being trained by their male counterparts in secret camps scattered all over Gaza, founded on the ruins of the evacuated Israeli settlements, or inside the large tracts of the orange groves. Practical training includes planting roadside bombs and firing rockets and mortars. Theoretical training, on the other hand, is carried out at mosques after pre-dawn prayers.

Hamas relies on mosques for its daily indoctrination of youth with the culture of Jihadism. The Islamic group has strong enlistment through mosques advocating its ideas of struggle and martyrdom. In three years the number of mosques has jumped from 200 to 600 in Gaza City alone, since Hamas started using them as arms depots and training centers for the newly recruited operatives. Fatima, who also teaches Quran at the mosque as a second duty, describes the growing opportunities for Hamas women.

"Islam has honored women and given them a role to play in all aspects of life," she says.

The role of women in Jihad is not only to encourage their male relatives to participate but also to be on the front lines and actively take part in the fighting.

Previously, Hamas used women during the Israeli army's incursions into Gaza to observe the tanks, collect information and forward it to al-Qassam male fighters, who then moving accordingly.

In January 2004 Hamas allowed the first woman to carry out a suicide attack at the Erez checkpoint on behalf of Hamas. Today, there are hundreds of Hamas women fighters in Gaza ready to take to the streets and stand up to any Israeli assault.

In its founding declaration of 1988, Hamas emphasizes the significance of women for jihad. Moreover, this Hamas gender revolution has also increased its popularity amongst the Palestinian people and simplified its mission to root out the [Fatah-controlled] Palestinian Authority and establish an Islamic state.

Last June al-Qassam women played a significant role during Hamas' all-out assault to rout its Fatah rival in Gaza. Those women, who appeared veiled, took part in the active battle.

During the offensive to take control of Gaza, Fatima was one of few women who took part in the attack on the Preventive Security Service, the Fatah stronghold in Gaza that was viewed by Hamas as the place used by pro-Israeli collaborators to spy on the mujahidin.

Hamas militiamen took over all Fatah security compounds, including the PA chairman's residence, known as al-Muntada. This offensive has, in practice, divided the Palestinian areas into two separate entities, with Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza.

After eliminating what she calls "collaborators, " Fatima believes that Hamas is now moving into a more difficult period. "We are headed toward the phase of construction after the second liberation of Gaza," she says.

Today, many women have joined jihad, especially since Hamas' takeover of Gaza, and they are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of Allah, in order to bring happiness to the nation and to remove its torment and distress caused by the occupation, she says enthusiastically.

"There are several armed women's cells being formed all across the Gaza Strip," she confirms. Fatima believes the Palestinians are becoming a nation of jihad on the threshold of liberation, and that they reject humiliation and submission. She also considers the Hamas takeover of Gaza as a prologue to the great victory and the liberation of the rest of the Palestinian areas.

Fatima is longing for martyrdom for the sake of Allah and for the liberation of the Palestinian people from the Israeli occupation and its collaborators, the expression used by Hamas operatives when referring to moderate Fatah rivals.

Fatima's wish is to participate in a battle against the Israeli army if it invades Gaza.

"I am impatiently waiting for that day and follow the steps of the hero Reem al-Riyashi," the first Hamas woman who carried out the suicide attack at the Erez crossing in 2004.

According to a source in the PA there are far more than 32 mujahidat, more likely several hundred.

In the streets of Gaza, opinion on the women fighters is divided: followers of Fatah believe that women should stay at home and raise their children, while Hamas supporters believe the mujahidat are doing exactly what they need to do, and regard them as heroines.

Ashraf Shannon in the Gaza Strip and Yaniv Berman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Female followers and sympathizers of Hamas raise their children according to Hamas ideology, thus their children are learning it at home, as well as at Hamas-operated kindergartens.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

His speech was really awesome!he spoke about the current situation in Gaza,he stressed out the real reason of why the Palestinians are not just keeping quiet when Israel continue to conquer their lands for already 60 years!

He spoke of his martyred brother,whom he pray that one day he would follow his steps!

He spoke of a martyed mother of two kidsthe elder 3 years old, n the younger not even a year,who prayed for martyrdom since high school!

He spoke of a mother of 3 martyrs...who believe that the blood of her children will help her.She said to her son when he was about to depart:Don't return home unless u retun as a syahid!

He spoke of all those who love their families,but love Allah more!

My eyes filled with tearsmy heart filled with fearas I heard him speak...

Allah said in the Qur'an al-Baqarah:154,"And say not of those who are slain the Way of God:"They are dead."Nay, they are living, though you perveive it not."

They don't just fight for Palestine,they don't simply fight for their own freedom!But they fight for al-Quds!Al-Quds which belong to the Muslims!Al-Quds which was our first qibla!Al-Quds which is blessed by Allah!

I fear that I will not have anything on my parton the Day of Judgementwhen Allah askWhat Have I Done...and when others who truly fight for Al-Quds claimfor What Have I DoneJust watching but do nothing?

I really hope I can keep in touch with many of the STC participants. I know I can't keep in touch with all, not even more than 5 of the sisters yg baru kenal I think... -__-" but I'll try my best! as pledged during "Deklarasi Pangkor"...